Brom's Story
by Geus
Summary: Brom has returned from the Arena to his home to find an odd situation and a reluctant return to the imperial lands
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

A Prisoner tuned Grand Champion

Return to Frozen lands.

Its cold and damp in the Blue Blood works as the new Grand Champion enters threw the arena gate a Gladiator waiting in the training area for the winner with a grim look on his face as he saw Martin entering the Blood works. "So… its you… you killed my friend and are Grand Champion… I hope it was worth it" with that he went back to practicing his archery as Martin got his own Raiment of Valor then went to his cell in the Blood works and stared out at the night sky 'I wonder when they'll release me' he thought as he looked and sighed it was still early on in the night but he felt so very tiered he soon fell asleep on the meagre cot thinking 'Grand Champion my ass if they Knew who I really am they would not be so welcoming'

Martin awoke the next cold winters day to a young Nord women in white wolf skin armor holding a scroll "so your Brom of Bruma fancy this the leader of the Skaal a prisoner forced to fight for his freedom" she said with a grin "and why are you hear from my Village Ilsey?" Martin was relived to here his true Skaal name spoken at last and not his Imperial given slave name "yes Chief Brom I was sent to find you and get you released from slavery but then you were arrested for murder and all those other minor charges now finally I have the proper release papers filed in triplicate with the Morrowind and imperial head offices and your copy is right here you are a free Skaal once more" she handed him the papers and pulled off the lock opening the door. Brom walked out with out a word and told the Matron and the Blade master he was leaving.

As they walked threw the city Ilsey looked around at the sights of the busy temple district on there way to the docks. She was taken by all the people in one place a sight she never saw other than a war party, taking notice Brom said I suppose you'd like to look around first before we go home to Solsthim?" he asked "yes I would Chief" she stated with excitement "fine I suppose we could though I'd rather get home but I'll stay at least its winter now" with that they toured the city Ilsey gawking at the buildings and the statues they spent the day looking at the various districts even getting in a Drunken brawl at the Bloated Float on the water front. Their fun had, Brom and Ilsey boarded an out bound ship headed for Solsthim leaving the city behind and with the Grand Champion title and the Raiment of Valor with the name Brom of the Skaal carved in over the filled inscription Martin of Red Wall.

Two days into the two week journey Ilsey asked the question "so Brom how did you become Martin of Red Wall?" curiosity was evident in her voice as Brom was using the anvil he found in the ships hold to smash the lock on his magic binding bracer. As he pounded "it's a long story Ilsey you sure you want to hear it?" he was noticing headway and pounded harder with the hammer "we've nothing but time and mead to pass the voyage Chief" she said smugly while drinking a Tankard of mead. With a loud crash and a smash followed by a loud roar of success Brom came back into the state room rubbing his now bear wrist "finally I'm truly free by Hircine its good to finally have that off" flopping down at the table and grabbing a Tankard himself he says "so Ilsey you want to hear my story eh? Well here it goes" he takes a long drink as Ilsey leans in to listen "it all started back in the time of Tharsten Heart-Fang and the last Bloodmoon. I was younger then only about sixteen when this old man came to the village his name was Ruffio and he accompanied the Nerevarine whom you know saved the Skaal and all of Tamriel from Hircine's werewolves and prevented the destruction of Solsthim but and you know I challenged and won against the Ruffio for leadership of the Skaal after Nerevar Indoril II put him in charge of our people" Brom stopped again to drink "yes Chief I know that but why tell me what is written in the history books of the Village?" she questioned again "because that is why they put that binding bracer on me I was "infected" by a werewolf and that bracer was pure silver it was to prevent me from transforming after they captured me for killing an imperial slaver and freeing this Skaal family"

Ilsey looked down saddened "so it was my fault you were enslaved instead" she muttered. Brom looked at her yes but don't look so sad every Skaal is more important than myself and thanks to there attempts to "cure" me I've become harder to kill and I'm immortal now as will be all Skaal when I return home" Ilsey looked better but still sad as Brom continued his tail of slave labor at the Abby of Red Wall and of how one night came around of a full moon and his transformation into a great werewolf and slaying the whole Abby and of how the bracer was put on as he slept and he was arrested for multiple murders then tortured over the years trying to cure his condition and finally after a little taste of freedom he was forced into the Arena as a Paladin and not an Axe Raider as he was and as punishment he was named Martin of Red Wall and forced to use rings enchanted with fire and healing magic to simulate the powers of a holy warrior. The tale continued on into the evening and as the candles burned down they both fell to sleep in the rooms one bed.

The ship sailed gently rocking on the seas gradually getting closer to Solsthim and Brom's homeland the night crew went about their work setting the sails and guiding the rudder unknown to them within the ships hold a rather seductive stowaway lay in wait for her chance. a loan sailor passes by the door to the food storage looking for anything out of place from the door a pale blue skinned hand covers his mouth "Scream as loud as you like meat... no one will hear you" to the sailors horror he looked down and saw a dagger in his lungs placed low and under his ribcage but there was no blood, he felt weaker faint and now noticed a deep pain in his neck he was in the grasp of a vampire. the sailor struggled trying to free himself but all in vain he screams but there is no sound the dagger is ripped out and the air in his chest hisses from the dry wound his assailant releases him and he falls to the floor panting slowly dying he looks up at the lantern light and see's his attacker a slender yet full Dunmer women's face stares back at him she chuckles as she wipes her mouth of blood her tight black leather hugging her form "you'd have made a fine 'slave' form my quarters too bad we're at sea and my target is on this ship" she then picked him up and drug him down into the hold she then held a black gem to him in horror the sailor found himself looking at himself from within a black soul gem. Then his world like it had for so many others went black. the assassin then crept to Brom's door and peaked inside and whispered "sleep well Martin of Red Wall we'll meet soon" and with that the assassin returned to her room changed into her dress and finery with no obvious signs of being a vampire she slept unlike her kind should in the night.

Morning arrives on the seas as Brom exits the room Ilsey still under the covers he Saunders up to the deck and is greeted by the cold chill of an arctic morning but instead of shuddering he embraces the chill walking out to the bow of the ship and throwing his arms out wide taking in a deep breath of cold air and releasing it with a hearty laugh then stares out over the sea as if looking at a long lost lover. The Dunmer walks up behind him on the sunlit deck "so you're awake Martin" she coos to him. He abruptly spins and sneers at the name "I'm Brom Chieftain of the Skaal tribe of Solsthim island Martin was my Imperial Slave name you'll do well to forget THAT name if you wish to speak to me" his fists clench and he spits as if trying to clear the name from his mouth a typically Nord custom. The Dunmer not losing her composure studies him carefully for a moment "no disrespects Brom but I had to be sure it was you, I am Mina it's a Pleasure to meet face to face with the one who killed Agronak Gro-Malog the Gray Prince in honorable combat" she coos her words trying to seduce Brom. "I'm no fan of what I did to him he was a Friend but my freedom lie threw him" Brom coldly says as he walks back below deck to his room.

Finally the ship arrives at Solsthim's Raven Rock Settlement Brom and Ilsey depart the ship and make their way out of the now walled village and start down the road to the Skaal village. Back on the ship the Dunmer women departs in her elegant dress and heads for the inn. As the day progressed the ship was restocked and the remaining crew searched the ship for any sign of their four missing crewmen when the captain discovers an open crate in the hold he looks inside it to find the four rotting husks of his former crewmen and races off to find the imperial watch captain to hurry and lock down the town before the murderer can escape into the wilderness of Solsthim. As he races threw the town he feels great pain and believes to be stumbling only to realize he is now looking up at his own body his head was severed in mid run but no one saw what happened.

Watching from the window of the inn the Dunmer women breaths a sigh of relief as she watched the Captain die from her Razor wire Trap and orders a steak rare with a bottle of red wine and sides of wedge cut potatoes and corn. As she eats a child walks past her and stops cold and stares at her then screams "VAMPIRE!" and runs off only to be cut down by a glass thrown star The women straightens up and looks in a mirror to see her full starvation form staring back at her. As she continues to race threw the main room of the inn slaughtering the inhabitants in there futile attempts to escape or fight as to what caused her to revert so fast. As a bar maid runs into the kitchen she realized what happened it was Garlic her food was loaded with it there were garlic braids everywhere. It was so over powering she hissed and leapt backward out the door and took out several small pieces of paper attached them to thrown Knives held her breath stepped into the kitchen and threw them to each corner then ran out the inn as fast as she could as the papers exploded leveling the inn and causing enough distraction for her to grab a hapless Bosmer regain her youthful form and walk out of the town as the towns folk scrambled to put out the many small scattered fires Spread out from the inn.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Home and the Cheshire Khajiit

After what seemed like forever to Brom the three day hike from Raven Rock village to the Skaal Village was long and full of danger Ice Bears and Frost Wolf packs had proven to be a sorely missed opponent to Brom. Ilsey stood back with her axes ready in case her Chief required the aid but none was needed as the fact had it the moment Brom felt the cold Solsthim air and set foot on the frozen earth he felt reconnected to his home and his true Barbaric nature had been revived. Ilsey watched as her Chief took on the bears in True Nord fashion Unarmed, Naked, and Roaring with challenge and aggression just the thought of him back on the ship those soft tender moments, the warm bedding, how gentile the grip of his hands on her body, how comfortable she felt in his arms. Looking at Brom in the midst of a fight she could hardly be leave they were the same person, with one final lung the ice bear found its throat in the vice like grip of Brom as he stood there one arm in the air holding the bear up as it struggled now to escape the crushing force now closing its throat Brom stood calm and cool staring at the beasts gut and with one swift punch that heaved the bear off the ground its neck and back clearly broken from the fight and the blow Brom drug its body over to the sled he'd made after fighting off the pack of frost wolves he slung the bear on the load and picked up the Yolk and started off for the Skaal village with Ilsey walking beside the load still in awe of her Chief and his unbelievable power and where it came from.

At the Skaal village a loan figure sits atop the village totem completely unseen by way of his Armors Chameleon ability. Bow in hand he waits and watches the road as Brom and Ilsey appear he readies and arrow draws back and waits for them to enter range. A sharp pain hits him from behind he looks down to see and arrow threw his heart he looks around to catch a glimpse of his killer on the roof of the main hose before he falls unseen into the snow bank below and buried from the falling snow from the totems top.

As Brom and Ilsey enter the village a cheer rises up and the whole village runs out to greet their returning Chief. Brom drops the Yolk and walks forward a few paces into the crowd the men slapping his back and shoulders in greeting the women run to the sled and haul it inside to begin processing the meat and hides for the tribe. The crowd of men follow Brom to the main hall where they part clearing the way and allow him to enter first. Brom steps in the cheers fall silent and slowly as their Chief enters the hall they file in and slowly take their places at the long tables. Brom looks around the hall slowly the Hunting Trophies of his past above the door hung the head of the legendary Beast the Udyrfrykte it grim visage still menacing even after its death at the hands of Nervier Indoril II the Nervierine many years earlier, at the side hung on two huge rocks that were the back portion of the Chief's throne were the heads of Gronuglag and Bronuglag Twin Grahl their Fur Brom Remembered from the fight was crimson with the blood of his Tribesmen and it was Brom's Axes that finished the beasts. A Glance to his left revealed the Head of Vardelac a giant Bristleback Boar to his right the in a wall mounted frame stretched the pelt of Akela the Lightning Wolf Brom remembered that trip to the Nord homelands of Skyrhim and how the wolf came to hunt him in the snow capped peaks but it was Brom who left with the Trophy that day.

Brom took his place on the throne upon Grabbing his ale tankard a barmaid filled it and with a deep breath Brom chugged the whole thing and the resounding belch shook the icicles from the smoke hole in the roof. With a loud yell "ITS GOOD TO BE BACK HOME!" Brom exclaimed "NOW LETS FEAST FOR TOMORROW WE BEGIN PREPARATIONS FOR THE BLOOD MOON!" with a cheer of excitement and joy from the Skaal men Food was set to cook and drinking being done Brom's old generals sat close and their Chief felt nostalgic about times far past as he watch Olaf Hardhan in his drunken attempts to flirt with the barmaids and the aptly applied slap to the face or kick to the groin. He watched as old Girst Halfeye an elder of the Skaal whose family was cursed to have their first son born with one useable eye only to have it slowly lost to near sighted vision before their coming of age, as he shared stories of his near blind struggles with hunting and wooing the women of their people only to find he'd been wooing a Horker or hunting a rolling snowball. He listened to Fjold Hardheart as he shared with increasing volume stories of his past battles with Reklings and the Spriggins and his never old joke of his finding a Spriggin trapped bent over between two rocks and his application of the word "Research" on just how "Female" from tree a Spriggin was.

A smirk appeared on Brom's face as he thought of his glorious reign as the Skaal Chieftain but his thoughts drifted back to his encounter with the statue of Hircine in Cyrodiil "Brom son of Solsthim you offer unto me offering of wolf, bear, and lion. I speak to your heart now son of Solsthim and I offer to you my greatest power. The True mark of the Blood Moon, you will be changed every night the moon is full you shall not be driven to kill you will be able to speak your power will double your vision will become clear as day in the blackest dark, and your bite shall not pass on the lesser disease of the blood moon to those that live." Hircine's voice rung in Brom's mind as he closed his eyes he remembered the last words "and if Brom sons of Solsthim you find this power to your liking return to your homeland of Solsthim and pass the rights of the blood moon and open my shrine Defeat my aspects and I'll bestow upon your people the True Mark and give the Skaal the power to retake Solsthim from the outsiders and make it a true united home for your people" Hircine's request was generous and unlike the tails Brom had heard of the Daedric Lord, though Brom knew he'd need to defeat this Daedra if he was to save his home from the imperial invasions but first was destroying Raven Rock for good.

As the food was brought in cheers arose from the men as much for the food as for the women carrying it, the smells of the meat, Gravies and sauces did much too wet Brom's apatite. Though he was focused on the food being placed on the tables he noticed Ilsey moving threw the crowd of women with a large plate of cheeses and bread, Brom signaled here to come forth to the foot of his throne. When Ilsey approached she moved to kneel "Who do you kneel for woman?" Brom said sternly Ilsey stopped in her movement shocked at the harsh tone as the hall fell silent again Brom's voice boomed loud and clear in the warming air "take your place Ilsey at my side and feast aside your Chieftain and soon to be husband" to the shock of everyone Ilsey took the seat on the throne reserved for the Head women without hesitation. As she sat "Say something to your people Head women" Brom urged to which with ruffled tone and slight joyful tremble "Bring me a plate loaded with cheese, Boar, Bear, and Holly berries, and a Tankard of Mead" after the food was placed and the tankard in hand "Let us Feast for the Blood Moon, for the Skaal, and for my husband to be" Ilsey's short speech was lost as she drank amidst a mighty roar from the men as they drank "Women your job is done tap the kegs men serve yourselves Women join the feasting drinking and merry making tonight tomorrow we all have much to do." Brom boasted from his seat the women did as he asked the kegs were all tapped they all joined in the joking and the feasting.

As the evening wore on the feast got louder and more active as few of the men gathered their instruments Drums, Ocarinas, and Lutes they began to play old Halfeye started singing Folksongs of the Skaal and some of the women jumped upon the empty tables tossed their clothes aside and danced to the music. Brom watched the hall the fire light from the braises to the sides of his throne playing cross his visage giving him a grim hardened look "enjoying the lewd gestures of my sisters Chief?" Ilsey asked with a slight annoyed tone unbecoming of her soft yet strong Nord voice "they dance well Ilsey. But they are not you, they never will be you, sure some may find them more attractive than you may even better bed mates, but you Ilsey are unique to the Skaal you have great beauty unmarred by combat, you fight well may even better than most of the men, and you have my eye something the other women do not." Brom stated coldly and yet to Ilsey they were the warmest words she'd ever heard.

The festivities continued long into the night and as the mead ran dry, the food was depleted, and the fires burned low Brom stood Ilsey bounding up abruptly in a half sleep stupor "Fair night to you all my brothers and sisters feel free to stay where you fall and sleep in the hall to those with children hurry home they may be worrying about you" Brom boomed before walking to the stair at the side of the hall followed by Ilsey the two climbed and walked to the back of the upper level visible to all Brom stopped allowing Ilsey to enter first as a roar rose from the men and women still sober enough to stand as Brom entered the room and closed the door behind.

The village now in total darkness Brom's eyes flashed open and he arose sniffing the air he carefully left the bed as not to wake Ilsey and he exited the hall naked he stood beneath the totem sniffing the air in the clouded dark. Brom moved to the opposite side of the totem knelt down and reached into the snow pulling out an Argonian invisible to the eye removing the hood revealed it slightly and completely disrobing it revealed the armors form and the insignia of a black hand burned into its chest. Brom stood studying the body "admiring my shot? Or are you planning to rape the corpse?" a soft purring voice asked from behind "so it is you I have to thank outsider?" Brom said calmly "before you ask Khajiit yes I knew you were there from your scent and I assume you're from the Dark Brotherhood as this Assassin was what you can tell me is why he's dead?" Brom was not hiding his body language giving a solid stone stance to the Khajiit it was mealy terrifying to see his back he could not imagine looking this Nord in the face. With a hard swallow the Khajiit began to speak "this Shadow scale was young and though marked with our symbol he was over turned by us he was brash undevout to the Dark Father and yet he thought we doubted his skill set as an Assassin. So he saw your name on a poster and sought out to kill you in the name of the Dark Father." Brom turned to look the Khajiit in the face "and why am I a target?" "you are not for some reason the Listener wants you to be protected a command of the night mother from the dark Father himself" the Khajiit Cracked a smile as he said the final line "Leave this island at once Khajiit if you're not gone by tomorrow I will be forced to kill you along with the other outsiders" Brom turned to enter the hall "I owe you my life but it won't save you" as Brom took a step the Khajiit bowed "as you wish your MAJESTY!" the Khajiit roared as he drew a dagger and lunged for Brom's back only to find his attack blocked with a swift kick to the gut, the impact doubled the Khajiit over allowing Brom to close the distance and deliver a crushing blow to the new assassins head, the dangers past Brom returned to his bed to ready for the days coming trials.

A Dunmer approaches the two corpses in the cover of night as she looks down on the Khajiit's headless corpse with a disgusted look on her face "Get up you idiot you're not undead for nothing Jos'vir" as she end her sentence she kicks the Khajiit's body as if by miracle it rises the head regenerating slowly in the moonlight "my lady did it go to your liking?" he asked as his head was still filling out "yes it has passed this is your final resurrection Sithis now readies for you to be with him upon your next death in his name" the women was indeed the listener as they collected the Argonian and all their equipment they left the village before dawn headed east into the forest belt of the island to plan their next attempt to bring down Brom.


End file.
